INVE launches probiotic wafer technology to improve fish survival and nursery performance

SINGAPORE – INVE Aquaculture Research Centre, an Italian research and testing centre for Artemia and marine fish, has launched Sanolife™ PRO-TAB, a new probiotic wafer designed to improve fish health, survival and operational efficiency during the nursery and pre-growing stages of aquaculture production.

The product was unveiled at World Aquaculture Singapore 2026 and introduces a new delivery system that enables fish to consume probiotics directly through slow-sinking edible wafers, helping overcome common challenges associated with traditional probiotic application methods.

Probiotic delivery technology targets nursery-stage challenges

The nursery phase is one of the most vulnerable stages in fish production, with farmers often facing elevated mortality rates linked to stress, disease pressure and inconsistent feed intake. 

While probiotics have been widely used to improve fish health, ensuring consistent delivery has remained a challenge due to nutrient leaching, uneven consumption and labour-intensive feed preparation.

Sanolife™ PRO-TAB has been developed to address these issues through a wafer-based system containing concentrated Bacillus probiotics. 

The slow-sinking wafers are coated to protect active ingredients from leaching and to maintain probiotic viability until ingestion, thereby enabling targeted delivery to the digestive tract.

“Fish farmers increasingly need solutions that combine biological performance with operational simplicity,” said Thomas Raynaud, Product Manager Formulated Diets at INVE Aquaculture.

“Sanolife™ PRO-TAB represents a new generation of probiotic delivery technology that ensures consistent intake, supports gut health, and helps farmers manage the critical nursery stage with greater confidence and efficiency.”

According to INVE, the wafers contain a high concentration of Bacillus probiotics and are designed to remain stable in water while encouraging fish to actively pursue and consume them. 

Once ingested, the probiotics colonise the digestive tract, helping support microbiota balance, resilience and overall health. 

The technology also provides a dual mode of action: direct activity in the fish gut and indirect activity in the surrounding aquatic environment.

Barbara Hostins, R&D Lead Health at INVE Aquaculture, said the company focused on improving both probiotic stability and delivery reliability during product development.

“Traditional probiotic applications in aquaculture often struggle with stability and consistent ingestion,” Hostins said.

“With Sanolife™ PRO-TAB, we designed a delivery system that protects probiotic spores, prevents nutrient leaching and ensures the active ingredients effectively reach the fish gut. 

By combining targeted Bacillus strains with a stable wafer matrix, we support microbiota balance and fish resilience in a much more reliable way.”

The wafers are available in two sizes, including a 2 mm format for fish weighing between 2 g and 20 g and a 5 mm format for fish weighing between 20 g and 50 g, allowing farmers to use the product throughout the nursery and pre-growing phases.

In addition to supporting fish health, the product has been designed to simplify farm operations. Unlike conventional probiotic powders that often require top-coating or manual preparation, Sanolife™ PRO-TAB can be administered directly either by hand or through automated feeding systems.

Valentina Carbone, Global Technical Expert Fish at INVE Aquaculture, said the technology is particularly relevant during periods of stress such as grading, handling and environmental fluctuations, when fish are more susceptible to bacterial infections.

“A solution like Sanolife™ PRO-TAB helps farmers bridge that sensitive period by ensuring fish consistently ingest probiotics while maintaining strong feeding behaviour and pathogenic bacteria resistance,” Carbone said.

“In practice, this translates into healthier fish, improved survival and more stable nursery performance.”

The launch reflects growing interest across the aquaculture industry in functional feeds and probiotic technologies to improve fish health and reduce production risks. 

As hatcheries and nurseries seek ways to increase survival rates and improve feed utilisation, targeted probiotic delivery systems are becoming an increasingly important component of modern aquaculture health management strategies.

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